Electrical components can be provided as molded injection devices (MID) with desired printed conductors, e.g., when manufactured in MID technology, using different methods, e.g., a masking method, in two-component injection molding with subsequent electroplating (or electroless plating), because for some cases, chemical plating is used for 2-component injection molding. In contrast to conventional circuit boards made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic or the like, MID components manufactured in this way are three-dimensional molded parts having an integrated printed conductor layout and possibly further electronic or electromechanical components. The use of MID components of this type, even if the components have only printed conductors and are used to replace conventional wiring inside an electrical or electronic device, saves space, allowing the relevant device to be made smaller, and lowers the manufacturing costs by reducing the number of assembly and contacting steps. These MID devices have great utility in cell phones, PDAs and notebook applications.
Stamp metal, flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) mounted and two-shot molding methods are three existing technologies to make an MID. However, stamping and FPCB mounted process have limitations in the pattern geometry, and the tooling is expensive and also altering of a RF pattern causes high-priced and time-consuming modifications into tooling. 2-shot-molding (two-component injection molding) processes have been used to produce 3D-MIDs with real three-dimensional structures. The antenna can be formed with subsequent chemical corrosion, chemical surface activation and selective metal coating. This method involves high initial costs and is only economically viable for large production numbers. 2-shot-molding is also not environmentally friendly process. All these three methods are tool-based technologies, which have limited flexibility, long development cycles, difficult prototype, expensive design changes, and limited miniaturization.
Accordingly, it is becoming increasingly popular to form MIDs using a laser direct structuring (LDS) process. In an LDS process a computer-controlled laser beam travels over the MID to activate the plastic surface at locations where the conductive path is to be situated. With a laser direct structuring process, it is possible to obtain small conductive path widths (such as of 150 microns or less). In addition, the spacing between the conductive paths can also be small. As a result, MIDs formed from this process save space and weight in the end-use applications. Another advantage of laser direct structuring is its flexibility. If the design of the circuit is changed, it is simply a matter of reprogramming the computer that controls the laser.